


The Rites of Spring

by LouHQ (LouAHQ)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Heterosexual Sex, M/M, Post-War, Slash, The Quidditch Pitch: Erotic Couplings, The Quidditch Pitch: The Changing Room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-11-29
Updated: 2007-11-29
Packaged: 2018-10-27 14:07:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10810557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouAHQ/pseuds/LouHQ
Summary: Written originally for a Pervy Werewolf Fanciers challenge, the prompt asked for Remus/Severus and genderswitch. Fertility magic is necessary to ensure a good crop.





	The Rites of Spring

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes:

For the purposes of my imagination, this story is set in a fictional village west of Carno in Powys, Wales. The story is much better because Mrs. Quizzical beta'd and consulted and chatted and shared her memories, knowledge and pictures of Wales. 

Very AU, as Lupin and Snape are both alive in this one. Set after the final battle, it assumes Snape has redeemed himself in the eyes of the Wizarding World. It's fanfic and I don’t have to justify it.

+++++

 

* * *

Snape and Lupin looked across the field at the edge of the village. At this time of spring, it should have been greening up with that bright glow of new shoots and leaves. Instead the green was a nacreous mould colour, spotted with clumps of black fibre. 

"Waning Blight." Snape said distastefully. The short brown man with them, the spokesperson of the village, shuddered.

"What’s Waning Blight?" asked Remus.

"Really, Lupin, did you not pay attention in Herbology? It is one of the seven major crop curses." Snape’s tone indicated that this was information any First Year at Hogwarts should know, but Remus, long accustomed to Snape’s snark, ignored the tone. "The curse lays dormant until the spring crop is planted. Then on the first day after the first full moon, the affected area becomes that off green colour. The black spots show where the blight has reached into the soil."

"It’s spread this far in twelve days?"

The other two men nodded; Snape thoughtfully, the village man glumly. He said, "I recognised it the first day and we sent an owl off to the Ministry in London right away. Took you long enough to get here."

"We got the assignment yesterday afternoon. Things are a little backed up at the Ministry."

"Aye." said the man, resigned. 

Remus thought the glum look was out of place on the man; he seemed the sort to be good-natured. Obviously what ever had gone on here, it weighed heavily on him. Remus stuck out his hand. "I do beg your pardon. I’m Remus Lupin." 

"Maddock Llewelyn. Brewmaster. I own the pub. Seeing it’s the place everyone goes for the tale, I’m the unofficial spokesman, aye?

"Aye."

"I’ve read your name a time or two in the papers. You know those young folk, what stood with the Chosen One?"

"Yes," Remus confirmed, smiling and ignoring the huffing noise from Snape. "This is Severus Snape."

The middle-aged man offered his hand to Snape and said, "Seen your name as well. Didn’t expect such illustrious company when I sent for help."

Snape shook his hand perfunctorily, frowned and looked back at the field while Remus smiled and said, "Until the rebuilding at Hogwarts is done we’re trying to be useful elsewhere. So how did this happen?"

Maddock’s face became hard and stony as he answered. "It was that scion of the devil, may he rot in hell. He wanted our Einiona to join him. He refused."

"Einiona?"

"Our priest. We follow the old ways here."

"How did it happen your wards failed then? Old magic is quite strong."

"When Einiona refused him the third time, he and his crew of thugs attacked us. Surprised us all, including Einiona and Aranrhod, our priestess. They were the first to die." He sighed deeply and his sorrow was evident as he closed his eyes and continued. "We all fought, but we were no match for them. We lost nineteen people that night. Seven of them were in the coven. If we had come through this with our ritual magic workers intact, even with the loss of the priest and priestess, we could have dealt with this. As it is, the six left alive are still healing, and not doing well. Our healer thinks that their well being is tied in with this blight on the land. They won’t heal until this is cleared up, but they were the only ones we had that could cleanse this."

"I’m so sorry, Mr. Llewelyn. Your town here has suffered for its defiance of the Dark. We’ll do what we can. Is this the only field affected?"

"No, unfortunately, just the one closest to my heart. T’is the hops."

Remus smiled reassuringly at the Brewmaster. "Since we are as fond of our pint as the next man, we’ll put our all into it, yeah?"

"Aye. This is the first field that showed sign. The rest are less affected. Do you want to see the rest?" 

"Yes, please."

"I must collect samples to analyse." Snape stated, taking several empty vials out of his voluptuous robes. "And I will require a work area to run my tests."

"I have a room you can use in my cellar. You’re welcome to it, as long as this won’t contaminate my yeast strains," Llewelyn said as they watched Snape use his wand to collect samples from several different parts of the field.

+++++

That evening Lupin sat at a small table in the main room of the slowly filling pub. One taste of the deep brown beer and he was ready to pledge his life to the saving of the hops, and anything else Llewelyn needed to continue brewing. He said as much to the young girl who brought him a plate of roasted chicken, potatoes, gravy and sprouts.

She giggled and said, "I’ll be sure to tell Da that. But surely it won’t come to that."

"I very much doubt it. The worst would be that we need something or someone that’s not here and would have to go looking for it. That might slow things down, but it wouldn’t be disastrous. This chicken is wonderful too. Is this your work?"

"Partly. My mum is a much better cook than me, but I’ve been trying my best."

"Your best is quite good. Is your mum not here?"

The girl’s eyes shone as she tried to hold back tears. "Mum is one of the coven that survived. She was slowly improving, like the others, when the blight started. Now she’s like the rest of them, not responding."

"I’m so sorry."

"Not your fault. Just… if you need anything, ask. I’m Frith. Everyone here will do anything we can to help."

"Glad to meet you Frith. I’m Remus Lupin."

"Really! You’re dead famous!" 

"Hardly that!" he said, laughing. "Oh, when you’ve a moment, could you take a plate and pint to Professor Snape? He’s working in the cellar doing an analysis on the Blight. Don’t knock or try to talk to him, he’ll just snarl at you, just slip in and leave it."

"Is he really so nasty?"

Remus grinned. "No, but he likes to think so."

The vagaries of war and its aftermath had thrown him together with the grumpy potion master on a frequent basis. They both had pasts that were dark and twisted and respected each other enough to leave it alone and appreciate the skills and knowledge it had given them. Their second to last mission, the capture and interrogation of Vincent Crabbe, had broken down some barriers between them, as Snape had let Lupin see him cry after the Ministry aurors had taken the young man away to Azkaban. 

Since then Snape had been almost friendly. Even, on occasion, affectionate, in his own, snarky, sarcastic way. Lupin had been encouraging that affection, for he was feeling friendly towards Snape as well. Very friendly. 

"Frith!" called her father from behind the bar. "Two plates for Pritchard and son."

"Yes, Da!" 

+++++

By the time Snape joined him two hours later, he had met most of the people of the village and heard five or six accounts of the attack, a good dozen theories on the Blight, biographies of each of the fallen, dead or alive, opinions on everything from the Ministry of Magic to the chances of the Holyhead Harpies this season and quite a bit of local gossip. He was flushed from Llewelyn’s brew and the warmth of the locals, who in the way of small town folk, treated him cautiously until he bought that second round. 

"Severus!" he greeted the dark haired wizard. "Have a pint of our host’s excellent brew!"

"Thank you, I had some with my meal."

"But it’s delicious! Have another!" This idea was widely approved by the half dozen locals still bellying up to the bar.

"We. Need. To. Talk."

It finally penetrated that Snape’s cold demeanour was covering serious concern. Lupin took a deep breath and said to the crew, "Lads, that’s it for me tonight. Maddock, which room are we in?"

"Number Eight, last on the left."

"Thanks."

Two minutes later Snape was staring at their room, incredulous. "Lupin, there must be some mistake."

"He said it’s the best he’s got. Severus, do a sobriety charm on me, my head is spinning."

"The brew is not so wonderful now, is it?"

"Oh it’s still wonderful, but if we’re going to talk about the situation in this village I need my wits."

"What few you have. Hold still."

"What a waste of great beer."

"Now go and find the innkeeper and request that one of us be moved to a different room."

"Can’t, they’re full up with relatives here to help with the injured. He turned out the three that were in here. What’s wrong with it? It has an en suite, so we don’t have to share the hall bath, and there’s a fireplace if we need to Floo or call anywhere."

"Lupin, there is only one bed," he said with the air of pointing out the obvious to an idiot.

"Snape, the bed is huge," Remus replied, using the same tone. "An entire family could sleep in it without rubbing elbows."

"Unacceptable."

"Unavoidable."

"Intolerable. I do not care to sleep with a werewolf."

Lupin looked Snape in the eye, disguising how much that remark hurt, and how much he hoped it wasn’t true. "Buck up Severus; it’s not like I’m going to shed on you. I’m going to use the loo and wash up, and then we can exchange information. I learned quite a bit about the situation here."

When Lupin reappeared Snape had evidently accepted the situation, as he had unpacked his grip and spread his notes on the small table. He had also made Remus a cup of tea, no sugar and a bit of milk, which is how he took his tea in the evenings. In the morning Lupin had two lumps of sugar, no milk. He was heartened by Snape remembering that detail. It was the sort of thing he did, be unreasonable and then apologise with some small favour. Remus smiled at him as he took a sip, and Snape glanced away as he asked, "What are the magical levels in the people here?"

"Very low. A number are squibs or muggles with magical relatives. Most magical people here are hardly more than a squib; they may be able to light a candle or heat water. The priest and priestess and their seconds were maybe Hogwarts level. People were asked to join the coven if they had anything higher than the usual low level of magic. As it was, they were barely able to fill the required thirteen places in the circle. The only one who survived that has the level of talent we’re used to was the priestess’s second." Lupin paused for a moment. "Her name is Betrys, it mean ‘she who brings us happiness’. She’s the wife of our host. The priestess was her older sister and of the coven members who died one was her oldest daughter. Another was her daughter’s fiancé. There was only about 120 people in this village. Not only does everyone know everyone; their parents and grand parents and great grand parents all knew each other too. Tonight I heard family stories that go back five hundred years. This pub? Originally built in 1489. It’s burned down six times and been rebuilt on the same site every time. How does Maddock know this? It’s in the family records, because the original Maddock, son of Llewelyn, was the first Brewmaster."

"Lupin, I do not need the history of the town. I just need to know if there is anyone here capable of doing a N.E.W.T. level spell."

"No. The only one who might manage it is in a coma in the family quarters of this inn. Severus, don’t under estimate the importance of the relationships these people have with one another. They are nearly to the point of collapse. They lost nearly one sixth of their village the night of the attack, and they lost the group of people they counted on for protection and aid in all things magical. They have six people who need tending night and day, and those people are getting worse, not better. And they aren’t wealthy people; they depend on their crops to live. If the blight continues, they know they will lose the last of their magical protections, more people who are their relatives and friends, and their livelihoods. If this blight isn’t cured, this town won’t exist by this time next year."

Snape cradled his forehead in his hand. "There are two ways to cure the blight. One is we go out tomorrow and magically incinerate the affected fields. It will get rid of the blight but nothing will grow on those fields for at least a year, probably two. I take it you disapprove of that? Pity, it was the easiest."

"Severus!"

"Yes, yes. The second choice is much more complicated. Since all the warding, all the community magic is coven based, the curing spell must be based on coven magic as well. Especially all the fertility magic on the fields. From what I can tell, they’ve been doing coven based fertility magic, specifically sex magic, on these fields since before there was even a village. At least fifteen, sixteen hundred years. The ritual requires a balance of male and female energy and would need to be done as a coven ritual, since it must be congruent to the magic of the area. It must be done on the night of the new moon, which is the night after tomorrow night. If we wait until the next new moon, it will be too late."

"Coven ritual. Does it need the full thirteen members?"

"No, just the male and female. But we must have both."

Lupin went over the very short list in his head of witches who would be powerful enough to do the ritual and would also be willing to do sex magic. Of the four, none were available. He felt despair wash over him. "What does it matter? Even with one of us to play the part of the priest, we need a woman!"

Snape was looking positively ill. He glared at Remus as if he were personally responsible for the blight. "You," he said tightly, "have always suffered from a lack of imagination." 

"You have a solution?"

Snape glared. Saying nothing further, he went into the bathroom. When he came out his was in his nightshirt and robe, and went straight to the bed, saying only, "If you snore I shall hex you."

As far as Remus could tell, neither of them snored. Of course, he didn’t sleep much. He was all too aware of Snape’s lean figure in bed with him, even though the bed was so big he couldn’t feel it when the other man shifted. But he could hear his light, even breathing and he wondered if Snape didn’t snore, or if he wasn’t sleeping either.

+++++ 

Remus woke from a fitful doze into the grey light before dawn. He tried snuggling back down into the covers, turning his pillow over and several other tricks to get back to sleep, but it wasn’t working. Considering he had a morning hard on, wanking would have worked, but he wasn’t going to do it with Snape in bed with him, he just wasn’t.

He sat up and looked thoughtfully over at his bed partner. Severus had rolled onto his back, one hand flung to the side, the other hand relaxed across his chest. Even in sleep, he seemed dignified and collected. Remus wondered what could make Severus wild, make him willingly lose control. Well, good sex could make anyone crazy, but as far as he knew, Severus never had a long-term relationship, though he had smelled of sex on several occasions. One night stands, he assumed, or a more professional relationship. Severus was very much a lone wolf. The thought made Remus smile wryly as the sky brightened.

Remus slipped quietly from the bed and pulled shut the curtains. He went about his morning ablations as silently as possible before tiptoeing out. After all, even if he couldn’t sleep, it was no reason Snape shouldn’t.

The bar room was as clean as if house elves had been at work, but Remus suspected it had more to do with human elbow grease after the last patron had left. There was a large bowl of apples and oranges, topped by a single banana perched jauntily on top. Beside it was a sign: "Hot breakfast served 7 to 9 a.m." He had a good part of an hour to wait, so he set off for a pre-breakfast walk.

The morning was bright with a bit of haze in the hills, the air crisp. This was the side of morning Remus seldom saw. Being a bookworm he often stayed up late reading. 

His feet took him down the lane to the field of hops. The black circles seemed darker, bigger. He shuddered and walked on, past an empty fenced pasture, a maize field with no blight and a largish sheep pasture. The silly things all shied away from him, baaing in alarm. He wondered if they could smell the wolf in him. He didn’t know enough about sheep to judge if this was normal sheeply behaviour.

Feeling his stomach growl, he turned back down the lane. Clanking bells he had heard but not noticed earlier were getting louder, and as he passed the maize field he saw twenty or so cows being herded into the fenced pasture by one small boy and a collie. The cows all seemed to know where they were going, except one that wanted to eat the grass along the way. With no direction Remus could see, the collie efficiently rounded the cow back with the rest. Once they were all in the pasture, the boy pulled shut the gate and latched it.

"That’s a smart dog you’ve got there," said Remus by way of greeting.

"That she is. I reckon she could take the cows out by herself, ’cept she couldn’t shut the gate. You’re one of the Ministry men, yeah?"

"Well, the Ministry sent my friend and I. We’re just helping out though, we don’t work for them usually."

"Wha’d’ya do then?"

"Teach at Hogwarts."

"Wow! I wanna go there! I hear the school’s full of ghosts and magic pictures and things."

"True enough, but I don’t doubt you should take those stories with a grain of salt."

"Huh?"

"Don’t believe everything you hear."

"No, I s’pect some of it’s a load of tosh. It’s fun to imagine though."

"That it is. Oh, I’m Remus Lupin."

"Oh, sorry, I’m Rhys Llewelyn. My sisters keep saying I’m a mannerless brat. I don’t mean to be, but everything’s so interestin’, you know?"

"It’s all right, I don’t mind. I like enthusiasm better than I like manners. Is one of your sisters Frith?"

"Aye, an’ the other’s Megan." He ducked his head and looked away. "Our Gwyneth died though, an’ Auntie Aran an’ Afallon an’ a bunch of other people. It was sad. And scary. And mum’s so sick and so’s a lot of other people and now this," The boy gestured widely at the hops field they were passing. "Huw says things will get better soon, now that the Ministry sent you. Will it?" The boy looked at him hopefully, obviously trying to conceal his desperation. 

"I hope so. We’re still studying the problem. Who’s Huw?"

"M’brother, he’s fourteen. Can’t you just wave your wand and make it better?" 

"Sometimes things aren’t that easy." The boy looked so downcast Remus hastened to change the topic. "Do you have other brothers and sisters?"

"Nah."

"Friends?"

"Glynis and Tom are my best friends. Tom’s family raises sheep. He’s really good with them! I like cows and dogs better."

"Are those your cows? Does your Da have a farm as well as the pub?"

"Nah. I been helping my Uncle Berwin with the milking since Auntie died." 

"And Glynis?"

"She’s kinda bossy. She knows all about plants and stuff. She reads a lot."

"You and your friends remind me of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermione and Ron."

"Do you know them?" the young boy gasped.

"I do. I was their teacher."

"What are they like?"

Smiling, Remus told the boy the story about the mountain troll in the bathroom. It eased his heart to watch the boy delight in the story. 

+++++

"Porridge, Lupin? I would have pegged you for a bacon and sausage man." inquired Snape as he slid into the chair across from him.

"It’s delicious. Good morning, Severus."

Snape cast him a mildly irritated look and poured himself a cup of tea from the pot on the table. Megan, the youngest daughter, trotted over and perkily asked for Snape’s order, and Remus hid a smile when he asked for porridge.

"I’ve thought of a half dozen women we can ask for help with this." Lupin opened the conversation. "The problem will be that most are already hip deep in the same kind of work. It’s unlikely we’ll get someone by tomorrow night. Does it have to be on the new moon?"

"Lupin, I should hardly have to lecture you on the importance of the moon’s influence."

"No. Severus, we’ve got to help these people! Isn’t there anything else we can do?"

"Why are you so intent on helping them? It can not be just the beer."

"They’re good people. They love their life here. They love each other. They don’t deserve to lose all of this because of a cursed crop blight!"

"Who ever gets what they deserve, Lupin? Most people have to bite and claw and work till they drop just to get what they need."

"You think I don’t know that?"

Snape’s glare softened. "No, I suppose you know all too well." He sighed deeply and said "Hold still." He reached over with his wand and laid the tip at Remus’ throat where his shirt folded back, just below his Adam’s apple. A whispered invocation and Remus was encased in a soft lavender glow. 

Snape leaned back, saying, "Finite Incantatum," and the glow faded out. If he didn’t know better, Remus would have thought Snape almost smiled. "You are bisexual?"

Lupin shrugged. "I thought you knew that. You knew I was with Sirius and later with Tonks." Remus spared a melancholy thought for his lost loves, both so vibrant, sharp tongued and sharp minded. 

"Sexual history is only one part of sexual identity."

"True enough."

Megan popped back in with Snape’s porridge along with a small loaf of bread, hot from the oven, and bowls of fresh butter, honey and wild strawberry jam. Remus let Snape apply himself to his breakfast and cut several slices of bread, spreading his with butter and honey.

"This porridge is quite good," commented Snape.

"Mmhm. Have some bread."

Snape had his with the strawberry preserve, and the look on his face when he bit into it was close to bliss. Remus thought he might win Snape over just by making him eat a few more meals here. 

Apparently the bread and preserve tipped the scales, for Snape had finished his porridge and was half way through his third piece of bread when he announced, "I have an idea on how to balance the male and female energies sufficiently to allow the ritual magic to work."

"I thought you said the ritual needed to be sexual?"

"Yes. There is a potion I can take that should help us balance the energies sufficiently."

"What? You mean --?" Lupin gaped at his breakfast partner. 

"Really, Lupin, I do not need to evaluate your oral hygiene."

Remus swallowed hastily. "You mean that _we_ would do the ritual?"

"If you can not find a willing female by tomorrow evening, yes. I will need to brew several potions in the meantime, and I need to start almost immediately. Can you find some ingredients for me?"

"If I have to Apparate to London to do it!"

"I trust these will be locally available." The Potion Master studied the happy werewolf and if he could have wagged his tail in delight, Remus would have.

"It must be a Gryffindor trait, to take up the banner for the common weal. If these ‘good people’ knew what you are, they would stone you out of town."

"That’s fear and ignorance, Severus. Their hearts are good."

Snape rolled his eye and handed the werewolf a bit of parchment as he rose to his feet. "The local herbalist should have these in stock. I will meet you back here for lunch."

+++++

After breakfast Snape returned to the workroom while Lupin made several Floo calls, sending out word of their need. He then spent the balance of the morning gathering the spring herbs on the list that were required to be fresh, and visiting with the village herbalist, Granny Vaughan, who plied him with rose hip tea and anise seed cookies and refused payment for the dried herbs they needed. He managed get her to agree to let him come back the next day and do some tilling and planting for her, under the guise of learning about several of the tender spring herbs.

In the back of his mind the entire time was the thought of the ritual. There was a chance that one of the women he sent word to would be able to help them, or they might know someone who could, but at this short notice it was very unlikely. It was likely that he’s be having sex with Severus tomorrow night.

Remus shivered. He’d been attracted to the dark man since their school days, but to call their relationship through the years difficult was a ridiculous understatement. That Severus was featured in his favourite fantasies was something Remus had carefully hid from the potion master. He had daydreamed about kissing those sneering lips until they were red and swollen, sucking and biting his long neck and feeling his moans vibrate under his mouth, unbuttoning all those buttons and discovering what he hid under them.

Remus’ mood swung wildly that morning. Delight that he was going to finally have sex with Severus, sadness it was going to be just once, anticipation, lust, anxiety. Gratitude. 

 

Snape was so reserved, Remus was surprised he was willing to go through with the ritual. Remus appreciated how difficult it must be for the dignified man to face the idea of sex with someone with whom he was aquainted, yet not an intimate. The people of this little hamlet would never know the sacrifice Snape made for them. 

Shortly before noon Remus descended into the cellars. Maddock’s work shop was as pleasant as a cellar could get, its windows placed high in the walls and double doors to both the unlit caverns with the curing barrels of beer and a ramp to the outside. The doors and windows were opened to the fresh, cool spring air. Snape watched over two simmering cauldrons and looked up as Lupin came down the stairs.

"I’m not late, am I?"

"You come in good time," Snape commented. He examined the various herbs and took some of the greens to chop. He nodded at the dry herb packets. "Could you take the dried blackberry leaves and crush them finely?"

"Certainly."

They worked in silence for a few minutes. When Snape had slid the minced greens into one cauldron, he gestured Lupin over and poured the powdery dried leaves into the other. He sealed them, set them both off heat and extinguished the fires. "They both need to sit undisturbed for an hour," he explained.

"Convenient that the rest time coincides with lunch," Remus said with a smile.

"You think it a coincidence? How little faith you have in me, Lupin."

Snape seemed darkly amused. 

Lupin stepped a bit closer and said softly, "On the contrary, I have complete faith in you, Severus."

His eyes darkened as they returned Remus’ gaze, and this time his lips twitched slightly. "As well you should."

+++++

Remus spent the early part of the afternoon following up on the Floo calls he had made that morning and making inquiries about the local religious practices. He then brought a few reference books, parchment, quill and ink to the workroom, where Snape had two more caldrons brewing. Between tending to the four bubbling pots, Snape helped him write the invocations for the ritual and he seemed relaxed, almost happy.

"We will need to cast the circle together."

"All right. Are there certain Goddesses or Gods you wish to invoke?"

"I do not subscribe to a particular religion. Do you? Or should we use the locally worshipped deities?"

"The coven here used the Old Welsh pantheon. I’m comfortable with that if you are."

"Certainly. Cerridwen was a favourite of mine."

"The Keeper of the Cauldron of the Underworld. Appropriate. Are the other ones usually associated with Spring and fertility appropriate?"

"Essential, I would say. I recommend herbs based on healing and fertility as well."

"How are all these potions going to figure in to this?"

"This one," and Snape held a hand over a cauldron of thin clear liquid with a hint of white tendrils, "is the potion that will balance our masculine and feminine energies. I will take it after dinner tomorrow night. This is the antidote, which I hope to take at sunrise. We will know then whether of not we will have to repeat the ritual.’’ He sniffed at the third potion and nodded. "Almost ready. We will both take this one after we cast the circle, but before we start the ritual. This one – " and Remus was surprised to see him blush. 

Remus slid off his stool and walked around the worktable to stand next to Severus. As he peered into the last cauldron at the simmering pearlescent liquid, he laid a hand in the small of the back of the tall man next to him. "What is it?" he asked softly.

"Lubricant." Snape said softly, the tone intimate. 

As he stepped back towards the third one, Lupin stepped with him. "And you didn’t say what this one does."

"It will enhance the experience, sharpen our concentration and ensure our enjoyment."

Lupin felt a twinge in his heart. "You require an aphrodisiac? I know I won’t." He stroked his hand up and down on Snape’s back. "You know I’ve come to admire you and value our relationship. I believed you had too."

"Nevertheless, this may be required."

"Why?"

"I told you the necessity of balancing the male and female energies."

"Yes?"

"The first potion is a transgender potion."

The air in the workshop seemed suddenly compressed. Remus couldn’t inhale. "Severus," he finally managed. "You can’t."

Snape turned on him and glared. "Do you have an alternative? Tell me you have found a witch to take the woman’s part and I will gladly forgo this! For I have no desire to experience this and I do it only for these ‘good people’," he sneered. 

Remus felt like he stood on a crumbling edge. He couldn’t imagine what this transformation meant to the dignified man. 

"Severus. Please. Let me take the potion."

"You can not. With your lycanthropy, it could kill you." 

"You should have told me."

"And what could you have done about it?"

"Were you just planning on surprising me?"

"After you take the potion, it wouldn’t matter."

"It matters, Snape. It matters."

Lupin turned and walked out of the workshop.

+++++

Two hours later, after walking back to the field of hops and sitting on the stone fence to tell the cows what an idiot he was, Lupin came back to the workshop to find the door locked against him and his books and materials in a pile outside of it. Chastised, he took his things back to their room and worked his way through the details of the ritual.

It was well past dinner and Remus had already showered and changed into his pyjamas when Snape came back to their room. He looked tired but lined up the four potions on the table with an air of accomplishment.

"All set then?" asked Remus quietly. He stood close to Snape, but didn’t touch him. At his nod, Remus added, "I’m sorry I reacted so badly."

Snape shook his head and turned towards Remus. "I am not sure why I did not tell you immediately. I thought you --. I do not know what I thought. At least with the aphrodisiac I knew you would want me."

Remus reached up and drew Snape to him by the back of his neck. He kissed him slowly and gently but very, very thoroughly. He closed his eyes and shivered lightly as Severus’ lips, pliant and warm, opened for his exploring tongue. When he traced along his upper lip and Severus moaned breathily, his cock twitched. 

Then Remus pulled back, stepped away from him and asked softly, "Have you eaten?" It took a moment for Severus to process the question, but when he grasped the concept he nodded and murmured "Roast lamb and potatoes with field greens, and a pint of that excellent beer."

"Good." Remus approved. "Go and take your shower. You look tired."

Severus nodded wearily and obeyed.

Remus turned down Severus’ side of the bed and cast a warming charm on it before climbing in on his side. Then he squirmed over towards the middle before relaxing. When Severus came out of the bathroom and lay down with a weary sigh, Remus sat up and reached for his nearest hand, refusing to let go when he stiffened and tried to pull it back. 

"Relax," he said, starting to massage the palm and the pad of the thumb. 

"What are --, no, _why_ are you doing this?" He didn’t pull away however. Remus smiled a bit. It was always hard to resist a massage.

"To say ‘thank you’," said Remus. "Thank you for coming here with me, thank you for making the potions, thank you for being willing to go to such extremes for these good people." 

Severus snorted softly but closed his eyes and let Remus work out to the tips of his fingers and then back up the hand and arm almost to the shoulder. Then he tucked that arm into the bedclothes and started on the other one.

"I could use you in the dungeons in the winter, when the cold makes my joints ache." 

"If you are getting joint aches in winter you should see Poppy; she can take care of that."

"And if I do will you still come down to the dungeons and rub my hands?"

"Mmm. If you will come up to my rooms in the tower and share drinks of an evening."

"Agreed."

Remus raised the hand he held to his lips, kissing the palm and stroking it with the tip of his tongue. Severus slid the hand up his jaw into his hair, and tugged lightly to bring Remus down to him. 

His mouth was inquiring and his tongue inquisitive and Remus gave himself over to his interrogation willingly. When Severus released him he nuzzled into his hair and whispered "Yes," his lips grazing his ear.

"Yes, what?" Severus asked with a breathy laugh.

"To what ever question it is you were asking with that mouth."

"Take off your pyjamas."

"Mmm, not a question then." Remus sat up and began to unbutton his pyjama shirt. Severus sat up as well, stripping off his nightshirt with one easy movement and reaching over to tug at Remus’ pyjama bottoms. "Eager?"

"Yes." Remus moved to embrace him but Severus held him off with a hand to his chest. "Let me look."

"You’ve seen me without a shirt before."

"But then I was trying not to look."

Remus sat back, but flushed under his scrutiny, feeling shy in a way he hadn’t for a long time. Severus trailed his eyes across his body as if cataloguing every scar. Then he reached out and gently touched the arc of scarring over his shoulder, still livid after 35 years. His touch sent a shock through him and Remus shuddered. 

"Cold?" Severus asked, concerned.

"No." Remus replied, shaking his head, but Severus reached for him anyway, and Remus went willingly into his arms. 

Their mouths sought out each other as their bodies fit themselves together, chest to chest and groin to groin. Severus hummed with pleasure as their semi-hard cocks rubbed together and stiffened further.

Remus cupped Severus’ face in his hands to renew their kiss. For a moment he spared a thought for gratitude, that they could enjoy this slow, sensual joining, no longer driven by the demons of their youth. He ground his thickening shaft against Severus’, sighing into his mouth as he pressed back. For many minutes they simply enjoyed the feeling of skin on skin, mouth on mouth. Hands wove through hair, caressed neck and shoulders, sought out taut nipples nestled amid wiry chest hair, circled waists and smoothed over hips to cup arse cheeks and pull the other closer yet, to start all over again.

When the desire circling between them had wound into a tightening spiral, when they could no longer keep from rutting against each other, Remus pulled back and looked deeply into his new lover’s shining black eyes. "Severus," he murmured, smoothing back the black, lank hair. "What do you like? What do you want?"

"Have you dreamed of this, Remus?" he asked, his hands on his waist. "Have you fantasised about me? I have about you. I want you to suck me, take my cock between those lips and swallow me down. I want to come in your mouth, fill your mouth with my seed till it spills down your chin."

Remus began to kiss his way down Severus’ chest, pausing to tongue the red nipples, washing the indentation of the navel before reaching the firm cock, standing in its nest of black curls, purpling head pushing through the foreskin. He nestled down between spread legs, slid hands up and down strong hairy thighs and leaned down to lap at the heavy sac laying between his legs. One hand slid up to caress the hard shaft through the foreskin; the other hand cradled his balls as his lips moved up to the slit, now glistening with moisture. He slowly took the entire shaft into his mouth, working the foreskin between hand and lips. He felt Severus’ long fingers brushing back his hair as he sucked and stroked.

"Gods and goddesses, Remus, your mouth, your tongue, fuck! You are so good at that, suck me down. Ahh, yessss! I want to come in your mouth and then you can choose what you want, want me to suck you or you fuck me, I will do it, oh fuck, I will do anything you want, anything!" and his fingers tightened in his hair as he bucked beneath him, spurting come into his willing mouth.

Remus lay still for several minutes, resting his cheek against his hip as Severus relaxed beneath him, stroking his hair. He gently held his deflating prick in his mouth, softly suckling it clean and empty. 

His own cock hard and aching, Remus carefully shifted up beside Severus, who opened his arms and his eyes and smiled at him. Remus wondered at it; it was a real smile, not a sneer or a bitter twist of the lips, and when they kissed those lips were still soft and pliant.

"Thank you," Severus said against his mouth. "What would you like?"

"Did you make enough lube to use some tonight?"

"I made a double batch," and he raised his hand in a silent summons, the jar springing into his palm. "So you want to fuck?"

"Do you like to fuck or be fucked? Top or bottom?"

"Yes." 

They shared a chuckle and Remus rolled to his back, pulling Severus over with him until he was half under him and said, "Wank me, Severus. I want to lay here and watch you as you stroke me." 

"Such a simple request. I meant what I said, you know."

"But we don’t have to do it tonight. This won’t be our only night together, will it?"

"Not if I have any say in it. I want this, Remus. I’m not the young buck I was, but I want you in my bed every night."

"Put your hand on my cock, Severus, and stroke me till I come. Use that wicked mouth and tell me what we’ll do on those nights in bed together. Tell me how we’ll fuck and suck and come together."

Severus tipped a bit of lube into his hand as Remus spoke. He touched slippery fingers to his leaking head, slowly working down from head to base and painting the thick shaft with the lube. He supported himself on one elbow and leaned over to lick at a pink nipple. Remus was not very hairy and a few swift strokes laid the nub bare and hard. Severus sucked it in, grasping it between gentle teeth, flicking it with his tongue.

"Nnnnrrrggh," Remus groaned, arching up. "Oh fuck, Severus!" The arm closest to Severus wrapped around his waist, trying to pull him closer, and the other hand crept down to massage his balls. "Talk to me, Severus, tell me, tell me what you like!"

Severus blew on the reddened and wet nipple, eliciting another moan from the panting werewolf. Pressing his lips against his arched neck, he nipped sharply once and at his jerk and gasp, recaptured Remus’ mouth. This was no gentle, languid exploration now, now he plundered his mouth, drove his tongue in as he increased the speed of his strokes, tightened and twisted as Remus thrust into his fist. He finally tore his lips away to hiss in his ear, "So you like it a bit rough sometimes, like it hard and fast as well as sweet and slow? I can do that, I can fuck you into the bed, so hard and deep you will come without my ever touching your prick. I will tie you to the bed and put a strap on your cock. You will not come until I say, is that not right? You want it hard and you want it soft and you want a cunt and you want a cock and I can give it all to you, and you will take it, take me, take it all. I am yours, Remus. And you are mine."

Remus arched back a final time, coming with a strangled sound somewhere between a scream and a moan. The following spurts were accompanied by grunts as he continued thrusting into his hand, then finally relaxing as if his bones had dissolved.

"Severus," he muttered, "you have a wicked, wicked mouth."

Severus kissed him again, this time a comforting press of lips on lips, before settling them both comfortably. "Did you want your pyjamas?"

"No, I usually sleep nude. You?"

"I could get used to it. Good night, Remus."

"Sweet dreams."

+++++

Remus woke feeling better than he had in quite some time and the long, solid warmth sprawled next to him reminded him why. He propped himself up on an elbow to study the angular man.

What was this morning going to be like, he wondered. Embarrassed and stilted? Or would that comfortable ease they shared last night stay with them? He hoped so. It had surprised him, how relaxed Severus was once it became clear how things stood between them. But would he still be relaxed in the light of day?

Severus wasn’t a handsome man, Remus thought, studying the forehead and nose. Striking, yes, even sensual, but too strong featured to be considered conventionally good looking. So much the better for him, he thought smugly. If they couldn’t see beyond his features long enough to see his passion, his intellect and his sardonic humour, so much the better for Remus. 

What would he be like when he took the potion? Would the changes be limited to below the waist, or would he have breasts? Remus smiled a little. He liked breasts too. Severus was right; he did want it all. But would Severus be completely a woman? Would his face, the shape of his body, change too? He liked him the way he was, square shoulders, long, lanky body and those lovely long fingers. Whatever the change consisted of, it was only for the ritual. 

The object of his ruminations stirred and opened his eyes. "Good morning," Remus smiled. 

Severus squinted at him a bit. "Is it? Do _not_ tell me you are a morning person, all chipper and bouncy."

"Not usually. I tend more towards being a night owl." 

Snape stretched and pulled Remus to him, yawning. "So what pushed your Gryffindorish smiley face buttons so early then?"

They shared a languorous kiss, heedless of morning breath, stubble and sleep wrinkles. When they finally pulled apart, Severus gave him an almost smile. "Hmm, I see your point. It may be a good morning after all." 

+++++

At breakfast they asked for and received permission to spread their notes out on one of the long tables in the common room of the pub. By the end of breakfast every one in this farming community was hard at work. Those who passed through the pub were intent on other errands and, besides a friendly greeting, didn’t interrupt.

It was on their third pass through the plans that Remus muttered, "Oh shite."

"What?" 

"We’ve no tools."

"We have our wands."

"They’ll probably work, but they aren’t dedicated to this sort of thing. And we need other things too. An athame, cup and pentacle, at least."

Snape drained off his tea and handed him the cup. "Here. I have a good knife with my potion tools, and we can draw a pentacle." Remus looked hesitant. "Well? What is wrong?"

"Nothing’s _wrong._ I just feel that we need to use tools a bit more, hmm, more spiritual? We’ve talked about how old the magic is, how the people here are part of the magic. I think, no that’s not right, I _feel_ we need to use tools the magic will recognise."

"You realise I do not subscribe to this claptrap at all?"

 

"Yes, Mr. Secular Snape. Yet you said Cerridwen was a favourite of yours."

"Yes, and I was once quite fond of the Tooth Fairy."

Remus gestured at their notes. "I’m satisfied with the ritual we’ve designed. Are you?"

"As satisfied as I can be with this sort of thing. I am sure of my potions, if nothing else. And I know the powers will be balanced. You have done more ritual work than I; if you say it is designed well I will accept your judgement."

"If I can find tools I feel more appropriate, will you use them?"

"Certainly."

They spent some few minutes organising their notes and recopying certain parts, and the next time Frith bustled through Remus called her over. "Where might I find your father this morning?"

"He went to Granny Vaughan’s with Rhys to help in her garden."

"Perfect!" He explained to Snape that the herbalist had not taken payment for her herbs once she found out what they were for, and his plans to work on her herb beds in thanks. Predictably, Snape rolled his eyes but refused to stay behind.

It should have been predictable too that Snape ended up getting on well with Granny, as he and Professor Sprout always got on well enough even with their quite different personalities. They fell into a technical discussion almost immediately and hardly noticed when Remus drew Maddock aside. Remus explained their predicament with the ritual tools and the Brewmaster looked pained. 

"I can’t offer you my Betrys’ tools. I’m hoping she’ll be using them again." 

"I hope so too."

"But I’ve got Einiona’s tools. Aye, he had some beautiful things. He was a metalsmith of some talent. His journeyman has taken over his smith, and he’s passable on the hardware, but he doesn’t have the same skill. He’ll grow into it, though. Einiona said he had the touch. Sod it, I’m meandering." He rubbed the back of his wrist over his eyes and said, roughly, "Tell me this will work. Tell me this is worth me giving you Einiona’s tools to use, something he hated to do. Tell me my home, my family and friends, tell me that all that will be here next year. Can you tell me that?"

Remus had to swallow several times before he could answer. "Einiona, Aranrhod, your own wife Betrys, they would tell you, wouldn’t they, that the gods and goddesses do not promise. Isn’t that so?" Maddock nodded, sighing. "We can’t promise that this will work, but we are doing our best for you. If this works, your fields will produce good crops this year. If we fail, well, I told you of the alternative."

"Aye, burning, and no crops for two years. You might as well put the fire to our homes."

"I know."

"I’ll bring Einiona’s chest to your room after lunch."

"Thank you."

+++++

After several productive hours at Granny Vaughan’s they returned to the pub and had a solid lunch before going up to their room to look over the chest of ritual tools. Severus tried to open the chest but it seemed stuck closed. Remus gently pushed him aside and knelt in front of it, laying his hands on top and closing his eyes. After a silent moment Severus asked, "What are you doing, communing with it?"

Remus smiled. "You could call it that. I’m thinking about what’s happened here, what brought us to this point, where two complete strangers want to handle these most personal items. What we hope to do with them. Now shush for a moment."

Severus snorted, but complied.

After another minute, the chest opened under his hands and Severus huffed with irritation. Ignoring that, Remus began to lift out bundles, some wrapped in wool but most in sheepskin or leather, some magically shrunk to fit in the chest.

The first were two knives in leather scabbards. They had 5-inch double blades and were hafted with horn. They looked perilously sharp, and though the design was simple they had a stark elegance.

Next was a shallow, heavy iron bowl, inscribed with bird and feather shapes. Well scrubbed, it still retained the smell of old incense and a slightly oily feel on the inside.

Wrapped in soft wool were several wands. One was a plait of three copper bands, one end twisted into a point, the other gripping a piece of rose quartz. The rest were wooden sticks in natural forms but with runic inscriptions; one was pierced with a looping copper wire, which had beads strung on it. 

Shrunk down to a manageable size was what turned out to be a shallow steel bowl, 4 feet across, with an inscribed copper band along the outside and three steel feet underneath. "A fire bowl." Snape identified it. "For when its not safe to build a fire on the ground."

Next, in heavy sheepskin, was a large pottery bowl, bright with glazed roses and green leaves, and a pottery jug and cups, green fish amid blue waves painted along their edges.

A simple stone bowl with the moon phases carved on it was next, followed by an iron pentacle, the iron circle with copper ivy twisted around it.

The last was a heavy round blanket made of animal skins. One side was plain heavy cowhide; it couldn’t have been more obvious had it been marked "This side down". The other side was of soft leather dyed multiple colours and pieced together to form a pentacle about 8 feet around. "Well," said Remus with great satisfaction, "I’m glad we won’t have to worry about rocks and splinters. This is so soft. Touch it, Severus."

He did so obediently and nodded his appreciation, but Remus could tell his attention was divided. "Well, let’s pack up our supplies and see if we can catch a nap. I want all my wits about me for tonight, for a multitude of reasons."

"Indeed."

Severus seemed sombre and Remus wasn’t sure why; he felt the tools were beautiful and to be able to use them was a gift. He looked quizzically at the dark man, but he just went over to the bed and began to strip. Well, that wasn’t the answer he was looking for, but it was an answer and a damn good one at that.

Remus followed him to the bed and pushed his fingers aside, taking over the buttons on the vest. Severus cocked his head to the side and began to unbutton Remus’ cardigan. "Why do you wear this disreputable thing?" 

"Why do you wear five layers of clothes?"

"I am not," Severus corrected him, setting the cardigan aside.

"Oh yes, here in our room, just the vest," and Remus pulled it off and laid it over the chair, "shirt," and he started on the next set of buttons, revealing, "and an undershirt. You wouldn’t step out of this room without your suit coat and a robe. Do you ever dress casually?"

"I’ve seldom been casual in company."

"We’ll need to do something about that."

"You’re one to talk about layers," grumbled Snape, pushing Remus’ shirt off by sliding his hands over his shoulders and down his arms, revealing his undershirt and perforce stopping Remus’ own attack on Severus’ shirt buttons. He turned to tidily hang up Remus’ shirt and Remus took the opportunity to peel off his undershirt and toss it aside.

Severus narrowed his eyes in appreciation and pulled Remus to him, kissing him lightly and running his hands up and down his sides while Remus went back to his buttons. "Tiny little buttons," he muttered into Severus’ mouth, and as he pulled the shirt off, cursed at the cufflinks as Severus smirked at him. 

Finally Remus got the shirt detangled from the object of his affection and hung it neatly. When he turned back, Severus had slipped out of the rest of his clothes and was already settling into the bed, so he peeled off his own trousers and pants and climbed in beside him. 

Spooned up behind him, Remus caressed slow circles on Severus’ stomach, who hummed with pleasure and turned to face him. They shared a leisurely kiss and then Severus pulled away and brushed his hand over Remus’ cheek.

"Have you ever had sex with a virgin?" he asked.

"Not since I was one. Why?"

"Because you will tonight."

Remus head shot up off the pillow so fast he got a crick in his neck. "What?"

"The change the potion makes reflects the experience of the person taking it. I have had sex as a man, but not as a woman. I will be a woman, and that woman has not had sex. She is a virgin."

"I, you, um, what," Remus stumbled to a stop and just looked at Severus for a moment before confessing, "I literally don’t know what to say."

Severus smirked, "Gryffindor intelligence once again shines through."

Remus shook his head. "Any other little details you’ve left out?"

"I do not know; I have not been a woman before. I expect it will only add to the strength of the magic. I have read that a ritual deflowering magnifies the power exponentially.

"From what you say, this change will be quite… complete."

"Yes. Does that disturb you?"

"A little. I can’t imagine you as a woman."

"I know I am not attractive," he muttered, rubbing his nose.

"There is nothing wrong with strong features, and I find you quite attractive! But you are _very_ masculine." 

Severus did not look displeased by this. 

"Frankly," continued Remus, "I envy you this chance."

He frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"An opportunity to learn what it feels like to be a woman? Your future female partners will be lucky to be with a man who won’t need to wonder what feels good to her; you’ll already know!"

Like a striking snake, Severus twisted on top of him and had him pinned down, hands above his head, before Remus even knew he was moving. Severus glared at him from a mere inch or two away and snarled, "If you are in a relationship with _me_ , Lupin, there will be no one else, neither women nor men! Do I make myself clear?" 

Remus felt a thrill move through him and he couldn’t help the curl of his lips when he said "My preference as well."

+++++

Remus was a bit groggy going down to dinner; he wasn’t used to afternoon naps. Severus seemed abstracted but not overly worried. They kept the conversation light and far away from any topics touching on the coming night’s activities. After veal cutlets with barley and parsnips, Maddock brought their apple pie and cheese himself and pulled up a chair. Frith brought them fresh tea with a cup for her father and hovered over him until he shooed her off with a reminder that theirs was not the only table that needed service.

"Another three fields are showing signs of the blight, I’m told," he said grimly. "I haven’t told anyone that you’ll be out there tonight, just that we’ll know by tomorrow what the end of the tale will be. Is there anything else I can do? I’d open my veins if need be."

Both wizards shook their heads and Remus patted his arm. "That won’t be necessary. I wish I could be more reassuring, but we think this will work. Believe me, this will be intense work tonight. It would be a good idea to send a wagon to fetch us at dawn; we may be too tired to walk."

Maddock nodded. "I’ll see to it myself. _Pob lwc_ , boyos. And gentlemen, however it goes tonight, thank you." He went back behind the bar. 

Remus and Severus stood as one and headed to their room to get their supplies for the evening. Laying out a circle could be finicky work and they wanted to have plenty of time before night fell.

+++++

Out in the middle of the hops field with their boxes and bags, the first thing Severus did was cast an obscuration charm that would disguise all but the most flagrant use of magic as well as hide them from prying eyes. Remus laid out the leather blanket as the centre of the circle and then began to set out the other tools. He looked up at a choking sound: Severus had his hand clapped over his mouth and looked distinctly green.

"Worse than the Wolfbane potion?" he asked. 

Severus shook his head. "It is the texture," he said, working his mouth as if he was trying to scrape it off his tongue with his teeth. Remus handed him a jug of water they had brought and he took a swig. Then he went suddenly white and whispered, "I think I had better sit down."

Remus watched him covertly as he continued to lay out their preparations. He could see little as Severus has leaned forward over his knees, his hair obscuring his face. His posture and robes hid any obvious changes. 

Finally all was ready. Remus knelt beside the raven-haired man and laid a hand on this back. "Are you all right?" he asked gently.

"This is even odder than Polyjuice." Severus said to his knees, but at the sound of his own voice he jerked his head up even as Remus flinched back. His voice had changed from his rumbling baritone to light tenor.

"Merlin, Severus! No, don’t look away!"

"How bad is it?"

Remus cupped his chin and tilted his face up. The high forehead and deep black eyes were still there, but the potion had softened the angles of the nose and jaw and eased the jut of the eyebrows. The Adam’s apple had faded from notice in the long neck and the shoulders, while still broad, had a curve that wasn’t there before. "It’s changed your features somewhat, but you’re still you."

"That is unfortunate."

"Hardly! You make a handsome woman. I’m looking forward to seeing more of you."

"Ugh, Lupin, are you trying to _flirt_? That is _terrible_."

Remus didn’t know what else to say so he pulled Severus to him for a kiss. 

Severus’ lips were a bit softer, a bit fuller, but what distracted him the most was the feel of breasts against his chest. A shock of desire ran through him and he deepened their kiss, insinuating his tongue between those strange but familiar lips, into that different yet same mouth. His hands moved down his back, pulling him tighter. And Severus’ hands were clenched in his robes, pressing tighter against him and making a soft mewling sound that went straight to Remus’ groin.

They broke apart, gasping, and Remus tried to regain his equilibrium. From the look on Severus’ face, he, no, _she_ , was just as off balance. "Are you all right?"

Severus pushed reluctantly away from him. "This is very… different from what I expected."

"Can you handle doing the ritual?"

"After all I have done to get this far? I should say so! But I will not require any further potion."

"Neither shall I."

Severus leaned in for another kiss. "Nor the lubricant."

At the implication, Lupin’s breath caught in his throat and he tried to pull her in closer, but her lips slid away again. Lupin took a deep breath to settle himself and got a drink of water, offering the jug to Severus who waved it away. "Ready to begin?"

She nodded shortly and they undressed quickly, both sneaking peeks at each other. Remus forced himself not to cover himself with his hands, reminding himself that this was Severus, who had seen him naked and erect before. But a deeper part of Remus was protesting that _she_ wasn’t _him_ , that he was getting naked in front of a stranger, and he fought a feeling of deep embarrassment as he tried to focus his attention on the ritual ahead.

Severus seemed to have regained her composure; she picked up an athame and her wand from the selection beside the incense bowl and turned to him. "Ready?" she asked, and the timbre of her voice made him shiver. 

"Just a moment," he replied, and let himself look and be looked at.

The potion had widened Severus’ hips just enough to suggest a curve, and had provided breasts sizeable enough to balance the dimensions of her shoulders. ‘Statuesque’ would be the word, Remus thought. Also ‘amazing’ or ‘stunning.’ Also that ‘skyclad’ was an accurate term; she wasn’t ‘naked.’

"Do stop drooling, Lupin, it’s quite unbecoming," she sneered, and the tone was so familiar Remus couldn’t help but laugh. She smirked, and gestured for him to join her at the censer. He also picked up an athame and his wand, and taking a deep breath, fired the charcoal waiting in the incense bowl.

"Hail Lleu, god of the arts, hear my voice and bring the powers of the east, direction of the air," called Remus as he sprinkled hops and maple shavings onto the glowing coals. As the smoke rose and swirled around them he continued the invocation, pleading for energy, for hope, for rebirth. He had been cold in the spring night, now he felt the magic begin to prickle across his skin and his lungs expand as he breathed in the sweet smelling smoke. 

As they moved from the east to the south Remus would have sworn the tendrils of incense followed them around the circle.

"Hail, Belisama, goddess of fire and forge," carolled Severus, firing the stack of mixed wood in the large fire bowl: oak, walnut, bay and cedar. As the flames rose the heat enveloped them, warming his skin as Severus’ voice, calling for cleansing, for passion and purity, warmed his spirit.

They moved to the west, their footsteps almost a dance. Remus could still smell the sweetness of hops and maple and the warmth of the fire stayed around him like a cloak.

Remus dipped his hands into the bowl of clear water that smelled of the rose petals floating on the surface. As he flicked the water from his hands onto himself and then Severus, he called, "Hear me Lir, god of the seas, grant us the powers of the west, nurture us in our need." He poured a cup of salted water from the pitcher and sipped. Instead of passing the cup to Severus, he pressed his mouth to hers and in that way shared the salty wetness with her.

They didn’t rush the kiss, nor did they linger. Each move became a part of an inspired dance, every gesture unpractised but _right._ Remus spoke again, asking for nurturing and healing, and it was as if the rose water soaked into him like rain after a drought, as if the salt water rushed directly into his veins. 

In the north, Severus raised the iron pentacle, calling on Cerridwen to attend on her words, asking for the power of the earth in their work. She scooped up a finger full of porridge, feeding first herself and then Remus directly from her hand, and he sucked and licked every trace of it from her fingers.

He was eating magic, he realised. The power filled him and he felt supported, buoyed up, as he never had before.

As they completed the circle and laid athame and wand beside the censer, Remus was amazed to see the magic manifest as a golden globe around them. He could see the aura of each thing around him, from the glow of the trees on the edge of the field and the glitter of the ritual tools they had used to the sickly darkness, almost an anti-glow, of the blighted area.

He felt a tug on his hand and turned to Severus. For a moment he couldn’t breathe. 

Magic moved over her skin, it glowed from her bones and blood, it flowed on her breath.

"Goddess," he whispered.

"God," she replied.

She led him by the hand to the blanket in the centre of the circle and lay down, offering herself to him, demanding him in turn. He fell to his knees at her feet.

With devotion he smoothed his hands over her feet and up her legs. His hands worshipped her as he stroked up the outside of her thighs, hips and sides, over her shoulder and down to her fingertips. He kissed her hands then lowered himself to kiss her lips.

He had never felt this before, the desire transmuted to magic, power transformed into passion. He felt it pouring from him, felt it flowing from her and each brush of lips and fingers made a connection that sparked. 

Remus trailed his tongue down her throat, tasting salt and incense, earth and spice. He caressed her breasts in wonder, hearing her sigh and purr, and when he suckled the power shot through them both and Severus cried out his name. 

There was part of him that was still aware of his body and it ached with need, his cock hard and weeping. Severus was panting, desire glowing from every pore, grinding against him in both supplication and demand. Remus slid a hand between them, slid questing fingers down to spread wet folds of silkiness and tease the tender opening. 

Severus voice rose from her moaning throat, "Please, oh gods, goddesses, please, Lleu, Belisama, Lir, Cerridwen, please, please, oh fuck, please!" Every word a prayer.

Remus positioned himself carefully, feeling bloated with magic and stuffed with power. He moved slowly, tenderly, into her hot slickness, until he could feel the barrier within. Sliding a hand between them, he stroked her centre with growing pressure. His ministrations inflamed her even more and she was almost incoherent, the words running together in her passion. 

They burned, they melted, they were vapour, they were stone.

Then she was coming, convulsing around his hand and cock and he snapped his hips forward sharply, feeling the barrier tear. Severus screamed, pain and ecstasy together as in life, and Remus came, the magic bursting from him, from her, who were once two and now one, the explosion radiating out, out across the fields, across the earth. They could feel the magic coursing through them as they trembled in each other’s arms and when it stopped, they looked in each other’s eyes for a long moment, seeing divinity, seeing infinity.

And then they passed out.

+++++

When Remus came to, he was sore in every muscle and his magical core felt sprained. He carefully moved off Severus, trying not to disturb her, but she woke anyway. She smiled and winced at the same time, groaning softy as she sat up.

Remus made it to his feet and looked around, but in the predawn grey he couldn’t tell if there was any difference in the hops. He helped Severus up and they leaned on each other in a close embrace, giving and getting strength. Finally they were able to stagger over to the censer, pick up athame and wand and stumble to the pentacle in the north, thanking the goddess for her aid. Their weary feet took them to the west, where they drank deeply and used the rest of the water to wash sweat and come and blood from their bodies. They thanked the god even as the salt water stung their tongues and skin.

In the south, the ashes of the fire remained warm enough for them to dry themselves, and they praised the goddess and gave thanks. They reached the east as the last wisp of incense was released from the censer; they thanked the god and the scent was gone, replaced by the smell of dew and dirt and grass.

Remus and Severus leaned together in the predawn light and he whispered into her ear, "The circle is open but never is broken. Merry meet –"

"And merry part –"

"And merry meet again."

They dressed and packed up everything, then sat beside the path looking out over the field, snuggled together, cloaks draped around each other as were their arms around each other’ waists. Finally, Remus was able to ask, "How are you?" though his heart quailed in anticipation of the answer. Severus shrugged a bit.

"Tired. Sore. Very tired. Totally and completely stunned, and oh, did I mention tired? Yes, tired."

"This was a fantastic, awe-full, wonderful experience and I never want to do it again."

"I have a new respect for those that are called to it. I do not know how they do it. I just want to sleep and sleep."

"I want a big breakfast with eggs and bacon and sausages and maybe some ham. I’m ravenous."

"Please contain yourself, your gluttony is making me ill in advance."

" _Then_ I want to sleep for a week, maybe two. In fact, if I could just sleep all the way through the next full moon, that would be about right."

"The sun is rising. Stand up. I want to be on my feet to see this, one way or the other."

They stood, leaning against each other. As the sun peeked over the horizon, it threw their shadows across the field. Dawn showed the field in riotous growth, the verdant green of healthy hops glowing in the morning light and not a shadow of the blight to be seen.

+++++

Remus wept with relief and happiness. Severus made disparaging remarks but had to blot her own eyes, which she blamed on the bright morning light. Then they collapsed down onto the side of the lane again, unable to stand anymore.

"What’s that creaking noise?" muttered Severus, sounding like she thought even the birds were a wee bit too loud and shrill and was considering shutting them up. Permanently.

Remus peered down the path. "Maddock with his cart to take us back to the village. Better take your antidote."

Severus fumbled in her pockets, her exhaustion making her clumsy. Pulling out a vial, she peered at it closely, then uncapped it and smelled it before drinking it down. 

"How is it? " 

"Not as disgusting as the first potion, but I want to brush my teeth very badly."

Lupin watched her face intently, anticipating seeing ‘his’ Severus reappear. But after a minute had passed and nothing happened, Remus asked uneasily, "How long is it supposed to take?"

Severus’ tone was profoundly bland. "It should be almost instantaneous."

"Nothing’s happening."

"I can feel that, you idiot!"

"Did you drink the right potion? Did you misbrew it in some way?" Remus felt a needle of panic pierce his stupor and he grasped Severus’ arm in worry and fear.

Severus wrenched her arm away, and swore, "No, you imbecile! It was the right potion and it was perfectly brewed! The only reason it wouldn’t work would be --." At that she paled alarmingly and pulled out her wand. With shaking hands she whispered a spell. There was a sudden flash of white light, and Severus dropped her wand and buried her face in her hands.

Now well and truly frightened, Remus put his arm around her and pulled her close as he asked, "What is it? What’s the matter?"

And as Maddock pulled up in his cart, grinning broadly at the healthy expanse of field behind them, Severus looked directly at Remus and said flatly, "I’m pregnant."


End file.
